Dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion elements have been developed by Gratzel et al. of Switzerland and are a next generation photoelectric conversion element attracting attention since they have advantages such as a high photoelectric conversion efficiency and low manufacturing cost.
Generally, dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion elements are equipped with at least one dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion cell, and the dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion cell is equipped with a first electrode, a second electrode which faces the first electrode, an oxide semiconductor layer that is provided on the first electrode, an electrolyte that is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an annular sealing portion which joins the first electrode and the second electrode.
In such a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion cell of a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion element, the thickness of the sealing portion is required to be sufficiently thick in order to secure the durability. On the other hand, it is possible to obtain a higher short-circuit current density while suppressing the amount of the oxide semiconductor to be used and to improve the photoelectric conversion characteristics by bending the second electrode which faces the first electrode via the sealing portion toward the oxide semiconductor layer side to decrease the distance between the oxide semiconductor layer and the second electrode (see, for example, the following Patent Document 1). Such a structure of a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion cell can be easily realized by conducting sealing under reduced pressure or by conducting sealing while pushing the second electrode toward the oxide semiconductor layer side with a convexly bent plate.